Mad World
by Very Sincerely Yours
Summary: Continuation of 'Be Proud Of Me' The cure was right there but Stefan couldn't move. Damon survived but when Klaus finds out, he isn't happy. He doesn't like being played with. He won't stop until he get's his revenge on Stefan. How? Attack his weakness. hurt!damon
1. guilt

**Mad World**

SUMMARY- Continuation of 'Be Proud of Me.' The cure was there, but Stefan couldn't move. After all that was said, he couldn't save his brother. Elena had to do it for him. But then Klaus finds out and isn't happy. Was it for nothing?

**Okay, before you read this you have to read my one-shot, 'Be Proud of Me'. This is a continuation, so ****read that first****. I didn't want to start this so soon, but I'll still try to update as quickly as possible. Now, and more importantly, let's get on with the story.**

**t.t.f.n.**

Stefan could remember what had happened next.

He had seen Elena take the bottle from the cabinet surprisingly fast and when he looked up he saw her pouring the contents down Damon's throat. He didn't know whether his brother was still alive, but he didn't know what to do. He couldn't move or speak then, only watch. He thought Elena might have been yelling at him but he still couldn't be sure.

Part of him expected Damon to double over and cough his lungs out. The other part thought that nothing would happen. Both sides were evenly matched but he couldn't help but hope. After what felt like an eternity Elena had collapsed to the floor, the bottle now empty. Back them he had found this strange. He couldn't remember why though.

Damon hadn't moved by that point.

He still wondered if Damon would have lived if Elena wasn't in the room. If he would've saved him. Because the cure was right there next to him and he couldn't move. That was eating him up in-side. He wanted to tell Damon but his brother was still asleep now, so he would have to wait until later. He didn't know if it would help him with the guilt, but he needed his brother to understand.

He remembered that it only took a few seconds for Damon's eyes to open. His brother had probably coughed or moved first, but the first thing he took notice of was Damon's eyes. He remembered the way they looked up at him, almost with wonder at first. Then there had been that spark of either recognition or remembrance and Damon had smiled.

He never thought he'd see Damon smile again.

Damon had fallen asleep only minutes later, and Stefan had carried him to his own room so he could change Damon's sheets and find a way to get rid of the 'rotting flesh' smell, which filled his brother's room and most of the hallway. He hadn't taken much notice of it before then. Elena stopped him when he started to leave Damon and told him to stay. She left then, no doubt to do what he had planned to do. He whispered a thank you but he didn't think she had heard. He promised himself that he would thank her again later.

And that was where he was now, sitting on his bed and waiting for his brother's fever to slowly break and fade completely. He didn't know how long it would take for Damon to even wake up, but he was prepared to wait for eternity.

He was glad that he didn't have to wait quite that long.

It was only about an hour later when Damon groaned softly and opened his eyes. He searched the room until his gaze finally rested on Stefan.

"Hey… how are you feeling?"

Damon coughed a little, shaking his head.

"Horrible."

Stefan looked at his brother sympathetically.

"You'll feel better soon." He leant forward and brushed Damon's dark hair out his eyes. He frowned when he felt how hot Damon's skin felt. He didn't understand why Damon was still sick even after they had given him the cure.

"You're frowning again Stefan, it's making people miserable. What's wrong?"

Stefan couldn't help but smile a little. "The fever hasn't gone down, you're still hot."

"Are you sure, because I don't think I've ever been colder."

Stefan continued to run his fingers through Damon's hair, watching as his brother's eyes closed. Damon leaned into his hand, sinking back further into the pillows. His breathing deepened and he sighed softly. Stefan smiled again, sadly this time.

"I couldn't save you."

Damon opened his eyes only slightly, fixing them on his brother.

"I couldn't move. It was right there and I couldn't do anything."

Stefan was couldn't look at his brother's face. He felt like he was going to cry. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried, but he definitely didn't want to cry in front of Damon. Not after everything that had happened. So he stayed still, looking down at the bed sheets.

With as much energy as he could muster in his weakened state, Damon sat up slightly and pulled his brother into an awkward hug. Stefan didn't hesitate then. He wrapped his arms around Damon instantly and it felt right. He couldn't stop himself from sobbing into Damon's shirt as his brother tried to calm him down.

"I couldn't move Damon. If Elena wasn't there then you… you would've…"

"Stefan…"

"It would've been my fault, I would've killed you."

"Stefan"-

"I failed you, I didn't"-

"Stefan! Quit it, your guilt is giving me a migraine."

Stefan didn't say anything more but continued to silently sob into the front of Damon's shirt.

"Stefan… Stefan listen to me. You know it wasn't your fault. After everything, it couldn't have been." Damon spoke more gently this time, trying make his brother relax.

Stefan didn't move.

"I'm alive. See, everything's okay. I'm never going to leave you. I promised you an eternity."

"Of misery," Stefan whispered, starting to calm down. He wiped his eyes and moved up a little, so that he was hugging Damon properly. He felt Damon shrug and laughed a little.

They stayed like that for a long time, neither one wanting to move.

When Damon started to get tired again and was unable to hold himself up Stefan helped him lay back down on the bed. Damon didn't look any better, but Stefan didn't let himself get too worried. He watched as his brother sank back into the mattress, taking deep breaths.

"You hungry?" Stefan asked quietly.

"Thought you'd never ask."

Stefan nodded and stood up, making his way out of the room.

"And Stefan," Damon muttered, his eyes still closed. "You ruined my shirt."

Stefan smiled properly. He kept smiling as he ran down to the cellar. He didn't think he'd ever felt so happy. Damon was alive and everything was okay. He refused to think about Klaus or Katherine and focused good things. Damon needed to get better and that meant no frowning. He walked back at a human pace, drying his eyes on the way. A part of him knew that this happiness was too good to be true.

Unfortunately, that part of him was right.

When he walked back into his room he saw a note on his bed. What he didn't see was Damon. And instantly he knew that Damon wasn't no longer in the house and hadn't left of his own free will. He felt dread seize him and snatched the note, dropping the blood-bag in the process.

Two words were written in an ancient scrawl.

No Deal.

…

**b.t.w. -Short but effective I think. :D**


	2. need

**Mad World**

Chapter 2

**I've… written this… so… many… times…**

**I doesn't sound right. It's all… wrong. I - grr, I don't know what to do! It's bloody annoying.**

**I wasn't sure how to even write this, but Sunset Trails updated and I got some brilliant advice, so you have a few people to thank for this chapter.**

**t.t.f.n.**

**Oh, and have you guys read the next book yet?**

…

Stefan wanted to scream.

It was Klaus. I had to be Klaus. Because Klaus didn't like being messed with. Katherine had saved Damon and killed him at the same time, because when Klaus went in all or nothing, he didn't like to lose. Damon was the one who would end up dead.

Stefan just stood there, frozen. Damon was gone. He could've been anywhere. Klaus cold be torturing him already. He had just gotten his brother back and now he was gone. Why couldn't Klaus leave them alone? Damon hadn't done anything. If he wanted blood he should've gone after Katherine. This was her fault. It always was.

Then why did they always get the short straw?

Elena found Stefan standing by the bed, staring off into space.

"Stefan?" she asked cautiously, walking up to him. She didn't see Damon in the room and Stefan's expression was worrying her. "Where's Damon?"

That was when Stefan fell to his knees.

…

It had taken Elena forty five minutes to calm Stefan down. He had just sat there, tears pouring silently down his cheeks. When she finally got a response from him, his words were mixed in with sobbing. It was as if he were speaking another language. When she finally put the pieces together, she called Bonnie immediately.

Bonnie was at the Boarding House within the hour and by that time Stefan already looked like he was going to start hacking his arms off with a potato scraper.

It was scary seeing him like that.

When Bonnie's tracking spell failed, not once or twice but six times in a row, the lounge room no longer looked like a lounge room but more like an antique scrap yard.

Caroline and Ric were at the house half-an-hour later, trying to calm Stefan down. The vampire was pacing the entire house, looking like a blur. It wasn't until Caroline charged into him at full speed and held him against the wall that he finally paid attention to them.

Ric and Elena had been making a list of all the places Klaus might have taken Damon and they passed the piece of paper to Stefan, telling him to search while Bonnie looked for another tracking spell to try.

Their first leads were places like the sacrificial alter, Luca's house and Ric's apartment but after a thorough search of each Stefan returned, more despairing than ever.

Ric didn't particularly want to see what was left of his apartment after what he suspected was less like a search and more like a rampage.

Bonnie tried a different tracking spell while Caroline furiously drew a picture of the cellar where Klaus had imprisoned her and Tyler before the sacrifice. It was a rough map but Stefan had already memorized it, ready to leave as soon as Bonnie was finished with her juju. She seemed to be trying to locate a strong aura, one that could belong to Klaus or one of the original's followers. She had candles in front of her and Elena on one side, holding her hand as she concentrated furiously. She stopped only a few minutes later, panting, and told them that her power was being blocked by something.

Stefan didn't need to be told twice. He was gone before they any of them, including Caroline, could blink.

And Caroline could blink pretty fast.

He ran to the Lockwood's mansion and followed Caroline's directions until he was deep in the woods. The forest looked the same form all sides but he had a vague idea of where to go. The run couldn't have gone fast enough though, even with Stefan at full speed. He couldn't help but think the worst. Klaus got screwed over and no doubt wasn't happy. So what would the hybrid want in exchange for Damon's life? He could've bitten Damon, so that they were back where they started. Stefan couldn't go through that again, it wasn't an option. Even if Klaus didn't bite Damon, killing him slowly would've been the same. If Stefan joined him, would the old deal still stand? He couldn't think of anything else that Klaus would want… except maybe Katherine. She had crossed him and escaped, bumping herself up on his wanted list. Stefan kept it at the back of his mind, prepared to use her as a bargaining chip. Something told him that it would come down to Katherine eventually, it always did.

He forced the thoughts out his mind as he came to the cellar. Taking a deep breath, he stepped over the dry leaves and down the steps, praying harder than he'd ever prayed before. This was his last chance, Damon had to be here.

Damon was.

He saw his brother, seemingly unharmed, with his wrists shackled to a chain which it turn was hammered into the ceiling. His head slumped against his chest and his knees barely scraped the ground. For a second Stefan just stood there, over-come with relief.

And then he saw Klaus.

…

**I could've ended it here but that would've been incredibly mean. Lucky for you, I'm not incredibly mean.**

**Well, maybe just a little.**

…

Klaus was giving him a smug grin.

He hated smug grins.

With a vengeance.

"You came! Took your time though, I expected you sooner."

Klaus stepped forward so that he was standing beside Damon and Stefan felt himself slowly start to crouch. Klaus must have noticed, because he shook his head, as if waving away Stefan's concerns.

"Don't worry, I'm just going to wake him up."

All Stefan saw was a blur as Klaus attacked Damon at an inhuman speed. He heard a crack as Damon's shoulder was knocked out of place and forced himself not to wince. He refused to show any emotion, even though hearing Damon's soft, involuntary cry and heavy breathing was eating him up inside. He watched as Damon slowly opened his eyes, the pain still radiating from his shoulder as it held the rest of his body off the ground. He blinked a few times, subconsciously adjusting his weight so that he was putting more strain on his un-injured shoulder. His eyes ghosted over his surroundings until they finally fixed on Stefan.

"Hey," Damon whispered, trying to keep his voice even. He sounded tired. Extremely and incredibly tired. "How're you doing Stef?"

Translation- don't you dare do anything stupid.

"Okay, how about you?"

Translation- what do you classify as stupid?

"Couldn't be better."

Translation- nothing that I wouldn't do.

Stefan raised an eyebrow and Damon just glared, using his 'you know what I mean' expression. Stefan hesitated before nodding and saw Damon subconsciously relax a little. Stefan gave him a sympathetic glance before turning to Klaus. The Original was leaning against the wall, having silently watched the exchange.

"By all means, continue. Don't mind me."

They all remained silent for a few seconds and Klaus sighed, moving off the wall.

"How about we move somewhere more comfortable? This place is quite dull, what with all the dust and god knows what else."

Stefan didn't move.

"Fine, straight to business then. Let me guess, you want Damon back. The question is, what do I get in return? I wasn't happy with the result last time…"

"That wasn't his fault," Stefan all but yelled. He bit his lip as Klaus looked over at him, obviously amused. "That was Katherine. If you wanted pay-back, you should've gone to her."

"Ahh, but Katherine is no-where to be found! She has a little habit of disappearing. She's probably long gone and I can't be bothered looking for her. Not when I can have so much fun hurting your brother that is."

Stefan felt his anger flare.

"So, it seems we are back where we started. Me with all the cards, you with your desperate puppy dog face. What are we to do?" Klaus's smirk never flickered, his voice never wavered. He didn't so much as blink as he stared Stefan down. The younger vampire thought that he might as well be arguing with a stubborn, and extremely intimidating, brick wall.

The silence stretched on for what seemed like hours before Stefan finally looked away. He felt like he was betraying his brother by doing that, but he wasn't going to give up. His eyes met Damon's again but he couldn't bring himself to speak. Klaus was already stepping forward again, and Stefan felt the Original's hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Stefan. There's nothing you can do, we all understand that. No need to feel so down."

Klaus was grinning at him now and he fought the urge to slap the Original's hand away.

_Nothing stupid, nothing stupid, nothing stupid, nothing stupid, nothing stupid, nothing stupid…_

"Or we could talk about that little deal we made earlier…"

_Nothing stupid, nothing stupid, nothing stupid, nothing stupid, nothing stupid, nothing stupid…_

"What do you say, Stefan? A decade or two off the wagon and I'll return your brother to you safely."

_Nothing stupid, nothing stupid, nothing stupid, nothing stupid, nothing stupid, nothing stupid…_

"Or would you rather him here… I have to do something or else I'll get awfully bored…"

"I'll give you Katherine."

Klaus recoiled slightly but Stefan found it hard to believe that he wouldn't have thought of Katherine as a solution. Maybe the Original just didn't think that he would come up with it.

Klaus looked thoughtful for a moment and then the corners of his mouth pulled upwards in a some-what malicious grin.

"Now… now you're talking."

Stefan wanted to be relieved but they way those words were spoken made him think otherwise. He caught Damon's eye and saw that his brother was thinking the same.

"You bring me Katarina and I'll release your brother. You'd better be quick though, I'm not sure how long he'll last."

There it was.

"You can check up on him if you want, I'll be sure to be civil when you're around. That's if this… 'Katarina-hunt' of yours doesn't take you half-way around the world."

Klaus's hand dropped and he walked back to the wall, leaning against it once again.

"Do we have a deal?"

Stefan knew it was his only chance, but he was still reluctant to leave his brother in the hands of this monster. Before he could think on it too much Damon looked him in the eyes and nodded, making his decision for him.

"Yes."

He instantly regretted it.

"Excellent. Do you want to talk with your brother now? I'd leave the room but it wouldn't make much of a difference, me having super hearing and all that…"

Stefan didn't move and after a moment Klaus took the hint.

"Fine, I'll leave. But don't think I won't be listening."

As soon as Klaus disappeared Stefan was kneeling in front of his brother. He looped one arm around Damon's back and hugged him tightly, taking some of his weight off his shoulders. Damon let out a pained breath, relaxing and letting his head fall against Stefan's shoulder.

"You still feeling sick?" Stefan asked, unable to keep the worry out of his voice. He leaned back and held his free hand against Damon's forehead. He bit his lip when he felt how hot his brother's skin was. Damon only nodded weakly into his shoulder, feeling oddly drained.

And cold. He was still very cold.

"I'm going to get you out of here."

Damon nodded again, his eyes dropping. He wanted to stay awake but he didn't have the energy. Stefan's shoulder _was_ oddly comfortable after all…

"Sleep…"

Stefan ran his fingers through his brother's hair, softly shushing him. He knew that Damon was tired. His brother was still sick and needed as much rest as he could get. The longer he was here the more sleep Damon would get before Klaus came back, but if he stayed too long then Damon would spend more time away from blood and ultimately get worse.

Damon fell asleep somewhere in the middle of his mental dilemma and he decided to leave and tell the others to start searching for Katherine.

He slowly lowered Damon to the ground, trying not to jostle his dislocated shoulder. He would've put it back in place, but he couldn't while Damon's arm was held up by the chain. That and he knew it would've been too much for Damon to handle. When his brother moaned softly, Stefan couldn't help but wince.

After Damon was safely hanging again with his head against his chest, Stefan couldn't bring himself to leave. He spent too long arguing with himself, until he finally convinced himself that there was nothing left to do. He sighed brokenheartedly and brushed dark hair out of Damon's eyes so that he could press his lips against his brother's burning forehead.

"I'll come back soon, brother."

And he was gone.

…

Damon woke up when he felt something sharp slice across his back.

And this was only the beginning.

…

**:D**


	3. strength

**Mad World**

Chapter 3

**I can't stop myself from focusing on Stefan and Damon, so the next chapter is going to be solely about the search for Katherine…**

… **nope, screw it. I'm having way too much fun.**

**t.t.f.n.**

…

Stefan was sitting. He wasn't moving, hell he wasn't even breathing properly. He was just sitting, surrounded by chaos. The chaos was inside of him too, but he still couldn't move. Maybe he just didn't want to. That was it, he never wanted to move again.

They had found Katherine, or at least her location. It was checked too many times to count, until Elena had almost passed out from blood-loss. Alaric refused to let her participate in the tracking spell again, tying to force her to go to the hospital and let them fix her hand. She had refused. Caroline had started rambling after their third try. That had been over a hour ago. During that time, she had listed a series of arguments for and against. They could have tracked her wrong, or it could've been right and they're just refusing to believe the facts. Stefan didn't really care. He wanted to go a rip Klaus's head of just so he didn't have to see Katherine again. He hated her, it was common knowledge, but now it was more than that. He loathed her. She could've known what was happening this whole time, and she hasn't done anything. She was too busy hiding right under their noses.

Because according to Bonnie, Katherine was still in Mystic Falls.

…

Stefan entered the old cellar in the middle of the forest hours later. They had argued, screamed, searched half of Mystic Falls and screamed some more before Stefan finally left them alone. He couldn't stand it anymore, because somehow he knew that Klaus had hurt Damon. He could feel it, and it was eating him up inside. So the first thing he when he entered the musty hell-hole was look for the Original. Only after he was sure that he wasn't there, did he dare to look at Damon.

He wished that he hadn't.

Because Damon looked horrible.

Stefan immediately felt guilty for leaving his brother here with Klaus. A pool of blood was already gathering on the floor, although he couldn't see any wounds on Damon. He was almost afraid to move closer and find what he was sure would be deep, dark and angry cuts of one sort or another. Damon's face was flushed and when his blue eyes opened and glanced up at Stefan, they were unnaturally bright. Stefan was sure that he was still sick, and that it was probably worse than before. Damon's shoulder was still visibly deformed and his whole body was shaking.

Stefan could see pain in his brother's eyes and it was killing him.

And so, even though he was begging himself not to, he walked forward until he was directly in front of Damon. He saw how his brother tried to watch him as he moved closer, his head tilting upwards weakly until it collapsed back against his chest in pure exhaustion.

Stefan dropped to his knees in front of Damon and gently lifted his face with one hand. He didn't know where Damon was hurt, and was reluctant to touch him in case he agitated any wounds his brother had sustained. Instead he waited for Damon's eyes to open again and focus. When he was sure that Damon was looking at him and actually seeing, he took his free hand and slowly wrapped it around his brother. He wanted Damon to know that it was him, and that he wasn't going to hurt him or let anyone else do the same.

Or at least not intentionally.

Because when Stefan touched Damon's back he heard his brother cry out instantly, the sound more like that of a wounded animal. He clenched his teeth as he saw Damon's face whiten further. He removed his hand instantly, but was dismayed when he found that it was slick with blood. He locked his eyes with Damon's. No words could describe the emotion that passed between them in that second. It was bad, it had to be. So, with obvious reluctance, Stefan shifted himself slightly and after only a moments hesitation, looked down at his brother's back.

What he saw made him sick.

Lashings was the only word he could use to describe it. They were cut into Damon, the wounds deep and open and ugly. The fabric of his shirt was in tatters and the colour had changed to a red that was even darker that its original black. They were crisscrossed and on the diagonal, so close that it was almost impossible to tell whether they had been inflicted by a whip, stake or set of claws.

To put it lightly, Damon's entire back was a bloody mess, in both senses of the word.

When Stefan looked back at his brother, he knew that he had tears in his eyes. One of his hands was still resting against Damon's cheek, and left it there as he let his head fall onto Damon's shoulder. He didn't know that it was the wrong shoulder to lean on, and he was too grief-stricken to notice in the time that followed. Damon let out a small sound of pain, but didn't flinch away. He waited for Stefan to speak, not daring to move. It was only moments later when Stefan started to sob. It was quiet at first, but it slowly got louder until Damon would've called it hysterical. Stefan was cursing saying god knows what else at the same time, pouring his heart out and sending an agonizing pain up Damon's arm.

But Damon ignored this, and instead tried to calm Stefan down. It took a long time, but Stefan finally realised that Damon was talking to him softly, and stopped to listen.

"It's okay, Stef. Everything's fine…"

He listened for no more than a minute before he had to interrupt.

"You're insane… you know that?"

Damon's chuckle turned into a cough and then a gasp and Stefan pulled away so that he could look at Damon's face again as he spoke.

"You look awful."

"I can tell." Cough. "You're petrified."

"You noticed?"

Damon smiled and stayed quiet while Stefan finally composed himself.

Watching Stefan break down hurt more that the sharp pain that every intake of breathe brought him.

"Better?" Damon whispered.

"This is wrong."

"Stefan…"

"You're hurt and I'm acting like a baby."

"You are a baby, little bro." Damon's words were weak, but they had the desired effect. Stefan relaxed and smiled, gently placing Damon's chin on his shoulder and running his fingers through his brother's dark hair.

"I'm sorry."

Damon hummed softly, enjoying the feeling of Stefan's gentle strokes against his head and the comfort that they brought far too much.

"I shouldn't have left you here."

Damon hummed again before adding, "It's not your fault Stef…"

Stefan nodded but Damon knew that he didn't believe that at all.

"We know where Katherine is, I'm going to get you out of here soon. You just have to hang in there okay?"

"I'm doing better than you."

Stefan actually laughed at that, pressing his cheek harder against Damon's.

"I know."

He took a deep breath and pulled back, holding Damon's face in both of his hands. He could tell that Damon's temperate had risen by a few degrees, and this worried him. Surely the cure would've worked by now? And then it occurred to him, and he felt like an idiot for not asking Damon sooner.

"Are you cold?"

Damon eyes, which had been close for some time, opened slightly. He seemed confused for a second, before answering slowly and softly.

"Yeh."

Stefan squeezed his eyes shut and made a sound in the back of his throat. It was a frustrated growl, echoing with concern.

"Why didn't you say anything? I need to know if you're recovering."

"You're… you're warm, it…"

Stefan opened his eyes again and he watched as his brother struggled to find words.

"It didn't feel so bad."

He smiled sadly, leaning his forehead against Damon's.

"Aw, how sweet."

Stefan's head shot up at the sound of Klaus's voice. He felt Damon tense, his body shaking with what Stefan assumed was cold-blooded fear. It was then that Stefan realised how Klaus had hurt his brother and rage flooded through him. It took all of his control not to lunge for the Original's throat then and there. He stood in front of Damon and lifted his chin, trying to match the other man's stubborn glare.

"Don't stop on my account, I'm happy to wait until you're done. I've such lovely things planned…"

Klaus grinned as he said this and Stefan knew that he was hinting at something dangerous. He was trying to get under his skin and, as much as Stefan hated to admit it, it worked. They both heard the small sound Damon made, almost a whimper but so much more vulnerable, and Stefan felt himself tremble.

Klaus's grin only grew wider.

"'S okay Stef."

Stefan turned towards Damon and knew that he was trying to be brave. His brother's jaw was set and his eyes were hard, but the mask didn't fool him, and they both knew it.

"I'll be fine."

Stefan stood there for a moment, breathing heavily. It seemed like an eternity before he took a slow and steady step towards Damon and leant down, brushing his lips against his brother's forehead. It had become some sort of a routine, and Stefan hoped that it gave Damon a little courage. With a few whispered words and another heavy breath, Stefan walked towards the door. He stopped next to Klaus on his way out, and was sickened when he saw that the Original looked more smug than ever.

"Of you go then."

With one last look at Damon and a killer glare aimed directly at Klaus, Stefan forced himself to ascend the stairs and leave his brother with a monster.

He only made it a few metres into the trees before he collapsed, hugging himself tightly.

When he heard Damon screams, it felt like his heart was being ripped from his chest.

He didn't have the strength to leave.

…

**:_( -I feel so mean.**


	4. relief

**Chapter… something…**

**Very occ, very short and basically horrible in general. Blame the mpd, I'm in a walking dead mood.**

**t.t.f.n.**

~.~

When Stefan went to see Damon again he was glad that Damon was sleeping. He was glad that they had Katherine's location, or at least as close as they could get it. If fact, if he ran through the list of events in his head he was pleased to find that he knew how he felt about all of them. But there was one thing that he was unsure of and it stood out from all the rest. He tried to figure it out as he walked past Klaus and sat beside Damon, who was now lying down on the cold floor. One of the chains had snapped and the other hung lower, so that Damon's body was limp and awkward on the ground and his arm hung above his chest. Stefan knew that he should have felt rage, at both Klaus and the realization that his brother had been hurt again, but something else was holding it back. Because really, why would the original be here with him if not to gloat? Stefan should've be angry, but then why wasn't he?

"Why do you keep coming back?"

Stefan looked at Klaus, trying to find the meaning of his words. Surely the original didn't think he'd abandon his brother?

"I mean… you know that finding Katherine is more important."

"Is it?"

Klaus paused then. "You'd rather stay with him than get him out?"

Now was Stefan's only chance and he knew it. Maybe he could try to get through to Klaus, even though that was almost impossible. They used to be friends once right? Sort of?

"He's my brother. You had brothers once. Don't you remember, you and Elijah maybe. Wasn't there a time when you'd do anything for each other?"

"Over a thousand years ago."

"Do you miss it? Having a brother who loves you?"

"It's been too long."

"No. I only realised when I got Damon back, and I've only waited just over a century. You said it's been a long time, you should miss it more. Or maybe you just don't remember."

"Maybe."

They were silent for a moment, Stefan watching his brother breathe harshly and tremble either from pain or exhaustion. Klaus was watching them both, his mind going back to the time when he was sure that Elijah would've taken care of him this way, would've loved him like brothers were supposed to.

"Is that why you hate me now?"

Stefan turned away from Damon and looked back at Klaus, waiting for the original to continue.

"Not only because I'm hurting your brother, but because you think that I should care more. That we have some sort of… " He paused for a moment before finishing sarcastically. "…_connection_?"

"I wouldn't call it that."

"Neither would I."

Stefan paused for a second, looking back at Damon. "I think you should care about your family, because although I've only been around for a short while in vampire years, I've been a lot less lonely than I would've been without Damon."

"Didn't he hate you?"

"Yes, but he was still my brother."

"And that's all that matters…" Klaus sighed softly, staring at the far wall. When he spoke again his voice held no emotion, and Stefan found himself thinking that this could be him getting through just a little. That's if it was even possible to slip through Klaus walls, hardened over the years by hurt and loss and experience in general.

"I've done too many bad things. Hell, I enjoy it sometimes. Other people get to be happy and not me. I imagine that's how your brother feels."

Stefan didn't even need to think about his answer.

"I imagine you're right."

Klaus almost smirked before he stood, walking silently out and leaving him alone with his brother. He didn't know whether he had made any sort of difference, but there was nothing else for him to do. He needed to be here with Damon, just for a little while longer, so that he could spend the next twenty-four hours searching for Katherine. Ric was at the grill at the moment, trying to find any clues and Caroline had her mum searching too. Stefan was extremely glad for the help, but Katherine was his to use and no-one else's.

A weak groan brought him out of his thoughts and Stefan turned to see Damon stirring beside him, not fully awake but still semi-aware of his surrounds. Of his brother.

"Stef…?"

Stefan hushed him softly, sliding his arms under Damon and moving underneath him. He held Damon's head in one hand and supported his back with the other, careful not to irritate any wounds. Damon didn't seems to mind though, relaxing immediately and settling in Stefan's arms.

They stayed like that for what could've been hours. Damon was usually quiet and content but sometimes he would be caught in the grip of a memory or nightmare, which seemed to merge into one horrifying experience, or a bout of pain. I never lasted long though, because Stefan seemed to know exactly how to comfort him. Whether it be murmured words or the gently feel of fingers running through his hair, Damon's hurt just slipped away. It was only once that Stefan had to slip into his brother's mind, when Damon wouldn't stop muttering and moaning painfully. He avoided Damon's memories and he hated himself for it, but he knew that he would feel more self-loathing if he witnessed what Damon had been through. It was his fault after all. But instead of ripping the images away from Damon he replaced them with happier times. Of when they were human. Anything he could remember he gave to Damon and after a while Damon's moaning stopped and the memories came by themselves. Stefan watched now, seeing things he had long since forgotten and never known that Damon had held on to them. He rocked Damon back and forward, feeling his brother's emotions as well as thoughts. Damon felt safe more than anything else. Stefan couldn't stop himself from crying, just a little.

And when it was finally time to leave he slid out from under Damon and his heart seemed to melt at the small sound of protest his bother made even while unconscious. It was fear, desperation but also longing, not of comfort as much as love. Stefan stroked his hair for a few more minutes, making sure that Damon was still sleeping peacefully, and mumbled comforting nonsense. He pressed his lips to Damon's forehead and realised that the fever had probably found its peak long ago but continued to rise, almost numbing Damon down. His body couldn't take it anymore, had no strength left to fight, but at least he wouldn't feel the sickness for or a while even if it would make the recovery process so much worse.

And then he left without looking back.

~.~

Stefan arrived at the grill as darkness began to set in, finding it unusually busy. It was a weekday, but a lot of the kids had come anyway and were either eating or simply socializing on the dance floor. There was no band but music was playing and they were dancing to that instead.

Ric was sitting in exactly the same spot as he had been four scotches ago, twisting his glass between his fingers. He jumped when Stefan came up behind him and then buried his head in his hand.

"You alright Ric?"

The teacher turned, his face serious, and prepared to tell him some very important news.

But then a new voice entered the conversation, cutting Ric off, and Stefan was left speechless.

"Hello Stefan."

~.~

**Really sorry. I'll be back when you guys update and pull me away from flesh-eating zombies.**


	5. pressure

**Chapter 5**

**I am very angry. *angry face***

**Why do I still love vampire diaries when I can't stand it at all? (I should say spoiler now, for those people who haven't seen the last episode.) Love-hate relationship I guess… was I the only one who booed when Elena woke up? What about Alaric, Damon? Don't we care anymore, or is your best friend just less important than the annoying doppelganger? Is screen-time over-rated or something? And now they've murdered half of the main characters and don't spend any time at all on any of the relationships that matter. What's happened? A zombie apocalypse would be better than this…**

***huffs*… (spoiler over)**

**t.t.f.n.**

~.~

"Katherine."

"It's been a while… maybe… You know sometimes people just don't want to be found and telling the entire town that they're still here doesn't help."

Stefan clenched his teeth, watching as Katherine picked up Ric's glass and downed it. He gave the teacher a look that said, _I've got this, go home._ Ric nodded to him and left, not looking back.

"I need your help."

Katherine looked thoughtful, slowly wandering down the bar. Stefan knew that she was smiling even though her back was facing him.

"And why would I help you…?"

"Don't play games with me, Katherine. Not now."

Katherine turned at that, almost surprised. She looked questioningly at Stefan.

"What's going on."

Right, let the play begin. Lying to a liar. Most people would call him insane. Well, most vampires were and when it came to his brother…

"Klaus has Damon."

Katherine actually looked shocked at this, as well as other things. Stefan was reluctant to believe some of the emotion passing over her face. She couldn't have grown a heart after all this time.

"He's keeping him in a cellar behind the old Lockwood property and… I need you to help me get him out."

"Uh-uh," Katherine said, shaking her head. "If Klaus has him, he's as good as gone. You'll get yourself killed and I'll go down in the process. Not happening."

"He's my brother, Katherine! And Klaus is"- Stefan choked on a sob and turned his head. He was milking it, but only a little. He needed to get this right. "I can see him. He lets me… We can go in and go out, after dark. Damon will be safe. All I want is some-one to watch my back."

Katherine was torn now, it was obvious. "And you trust me for this?"

"You're all I've got."

The silence was heavy after that. Stefan held his breath the entire time, hopeful but afraid. This was his one chance, Damon's life depended on it.

"And why… why would I help you?"

Katherine's voice was uncertain, as if she suspected foul play. Stefan was just glad that she hadn't left immediately. Uncertain he could work with.

"Because it's your fault that Klaus is ripping my brother to pieces and making me watch," he spat with no-so-fake anger. His hard eyes met her surprised ones. Surprised and just a little guilty. Stefan was sure that he was mistaken. Katherine, remember. This was Katherine.

She smiled a little, although it was clearly forced, and turned.

"Night-fall. Boarding House. I'll think about it."

And she was gone.

~.~

Stefan returned home half an hour later. He had left a note at the cellar, telling Klaus that the exchange was to be made tonight. He just hoped that the hybrid would be there. He didn't go inside, even though he could hear Damon whimpering and moaning. It took all his self control to just walk away. If he had stayed, he was sure that he wouldn't have made it home by night-fall.

The Boarding House was actually empty for once. Everyone had been briefed and told to stay at home. It was all Stefan now. All on him.

He had a few hours to waste, so he started with blood and moved on to bourbon. He refused to get drunk, not when he needed to play this right, but the alcohol helped with his emotions. With his memories really. He couldn't help but think about all those things that he had forgotten, only to be reminded when watching Damon's mind. All those times he had crawled into his brother's bed in the middle of the night, waking Damon up to sob over a nightmare. When their mother died and Damon held him while they both cried, trying to block out the sounds of their father's drunken rages. When they were older and Damon taught him to ride.

Stefan found his eyes blurring and blinked back tears. He was going to save Damon. Everything was going to be fine.

But then why did he feel a wave of dread settle inside him?

He tried to ignore it, but it wouldn't go away. Something told him that they were in trouble. An instinct that he had gained long ago.

A knock on the door forced him to push the feeling aside. Was it Katherine? The sun had set a little while ago… it was strange that he hadn't noticed the passing of time. When he opened the door, he could have jumped for joy. Katherine. Damon was going to be fine.

"Are we doing this or what?" Katherine seemed slightly reluctant, but she was still willing and that was all that mattered to Stefan.

He nodded and pushed past her.

"Don't screw this up."

~.~


	6. will

**Chapter 6**

**Right… you're really going to hate me.**

**Oh well.**

**t.t.f.n.**

~.~

"Damon..."

As soon as he and Katherine entered the cellar, Stefan ran to his brother. Damon was lying face down, unmoving, his skin ashen. His entire body was slick with sweat that matted his hair and soaked through his clothes. He didn't stir as Stefan came to his side.

"You're okay... you're okay..." Stefan whispered, over and over again. He ran a hand through Damon's hair, desperate to scoop him into his arms and speed home, to safety. He heard his brother moan and lifted Damon's head a little, not uncomfortably but enough to remove his cheek from the rough stone floor. Damon's eyes opened slightly and searched for his brother. He tried to move but couldn't, his body agonizingly numb and burning at the same time. He wasn't cold anymore though. That was good...

"Hey, hey. I'm here." In the next second Damon was lying across Stefan's lap, leaning into his shoulder. Stefan rocked him, making soft shushing noises as Damon moaned and brushing dark hair off of his brother's forehead.

Stefan turned, watching the shock on Katherine's face. She stood, unmoving, on one side of the cellar.

And then Klaus was behind her.

The next moment passed in a blur, even for Stefan. First Katherine was gone, then Klaus disappeared, then both re-appeared in front of him before she finally stilled, her back pressed against the opposite wall and Klaus's hand at her throat. His eyes locked with hers and he forced her not to move.

Katherine's eyes met Stefan's, shocked and betrayed. He only lowered his gaze, holding his brother tightly.

"Well, isn't it nice to finally have everyone in one place." Klaus grinned, looking between the three of them.

"You have Katherine," Stefan said strongly. "Let Damon go."

Klaus waited a moment before walking over and kneeling beside Stefan and Damon. He reached up and with one hand, broke that shackle attaching Damon's wrist to the ceiling. Stefan held his brother tighter as he moaned, his hand falling roughly against the floor. Damon's wrist was almost torn apart and Stefan felt sick when he realised how hard Damon had fought to get away.

"Don't be running away just yet, Stefan, I have one last thing to ask of your brother."

Klaus took Damon's upper arm, hauling him to his feet. He held him up, locking their eyes and telling him to stand. Damon had no choice but to remain upright, bile rising in his throat and his vision blacking out dangerously. Stefan jumped up beside him, but Klaus didn't let him come close.

"Now, Damon." Klaus kept his eyes on Damon's, holding a hand at the back of the younger vampires neck. He pulled a stake out of his pocket, small but sharp, and Stefan felt dread seize him. "I want you to take this stake, and drive it through your heart."

There was a moment of silence before anything else happened.

And then Stefan lunged forward, outraged, only to be met by Klaus in mid air. He was thrown against that wall but all he could hear was the sound of Damon falling to his knees, stake in hand, pressing the tip of the wood into the flesh above his heart.

And then he threw Klaus off him, vaguely aware of the original telling him that if he stopped Damon he would compel him to hurt Damon himself. So, instead of smashing the stake into a thousand pieces like he wanted to, he sat behind Damon and pulled his brother into his lap. He wrapped his arms around him, holding him as close as physically possible. Damon leaned into Stefan gratefully, sobbing into his neck.

"S-Stef..."

Stefan shushed him, trying to think of something, anything. This was all happening too fast…

"Don't let me, please, don't... I, I can't. Please." Damon was begging, his words raw and broken. Stefan pulled him impossibly closer, refusing to look at the stake in his brother's trembling fingers.

"You're fine, everything's fine. Just shush..."

Damon shook in his arms, whimpering into his collar.

"Do... do you remember," Stefan began, almost choking on his words, "when we were little?" He felt Damon's head pressing into his chest and buried his face in his brother's dark hair. "When I fell over in the yard and you carried me inside? And y-you cleaned my knee and you told me, Damon that everything was going to be okay."

He felt Damon nod against his chest and brought a hand up to run his fingers through Damon's hair. They were both trembling now, but Damon seemed to melt under his touch. He let out another whimper and Stefan leaned back, looking into Damon's tear-streaked face.

"Everything's going to be okay."

Damon paused, searching his face. He was scared. So very, very scared. It was all Stefan could do to return his intense gaze and stroke the side of his face comfortingly, wiping away tears.

"...really?" Damon whispered, his voice barely audible.

Stefan nodded and pressed a kiss to Damon's forehead. He kept his cheek there as he looked up at Klaus.

"Yes."

And Damon closed his eyes.

~.~

**Told you so.**


	7. safety

**Mad World**

**Chapter 7 - safety**

**Yes, yes, I'm a horrible person, blah blah blah...**

**So I'm pretty sure this is the end.**

**Later then, I'll be around.**

~.~

_"Damon, Damon! Where'd you go?"_

_He ran, not knowing where he was going. A smile plastered onto his young face. Long hair falling into his eyes. He stopped, frowning, and pushed it back. Then he looked around the room, his head darting from side to side, hair falling into his face again._

_"Damon!"_

_He giggled, turning and running out of the room, trying a few more before dashing for the stairs._

_"Damon! Damon!"_

_He slowed down when he reached the top of the stairs, wondering which rooms to try first. Not his fathers' study, or either of their bedrooms... Maybe the spare room at the end? Nodding to himself, he set off in that direction, opening the heavy door when he came to it._

_"Damon?"_

_He looked around the room, trying to find any unnatural movement. Finding none, he set about checking under the bed, in the cupboard and in the little space behind the mirror that he always crept into. How come Damon could always find him, but he could never find Damon?_

_He left this room, checking back down the hall. He called out for Damon, but didn't get a response. He could feel his hands start to tremble, tears start to flood his eyes._

_No, he has to be here somewhere._

_"Damon!" This time it was a scream. Raw and desperate. He ran down the stairs, almost tripping twice, and towards the kitchens. The maids took no notice of him as he ran and he was sure that Damon couldn't be in there. The maids always let him into the kitchen but they were more suspicious of Damon, afraid that the older boy would cause some kind of trouble. They were both loved equally though, he was sure of that._

_He kept running, out the side door, down the white stairs and into the gardens. Everything was still wet, there'd been a thunderstorm the night before. He remembered crawling into Damon's bed, scared of the noise. Damon had wrapped an arm around him automatically, still half asleep._

_"What is it, brother?" he'd mumbled, not sounding annoyed in the slightest. "Storm?"_

_He'd nodded against Damon's shoulder, clinging to him tighter as the storm grew harsh._

_"You know I'd never let anything happen to you?"_

_He nodded again and the arm around him tightened._

_"Then sleep, I'm not going anywhere."_

_And he had, only because Damon had hold him too. Because he trusted Damon more than anyone else. Because they were brothers, and brothers didn't lie._

_He shook his head, his hair falling into his eyes again, and continued in his search. The gardens were empty, as was the shed and stable. He couldn't stop the tears now, but didn't stop looking._

_He'd run around the entire house before he finally gave up, sitting on their marble steps and crying quietly into his hands. Damon wouldn't leave him, he'd promised. He remembered when his brother promised. Damon had been holding him in the aftermath of their mother's death._

_"Damon?" he asked, his voice small and quiet. Damon was walking down the hall, stumbling a little, and he could see tears on his older brother's face. That was the first time he'd seen Damon cry._

_Damon hadn't spoken, only took his hand and led him into one of the storage rooms. He locked the door and pulled him into his lap, holding him tightly._

_"Damon? What's wrong?" he hadn't been crying then, but the tears in Damon's eyes made tears well up in his own._

_"Everything," Damon had whispered softly, brushing his hair back. He watched his brother tremble as he spoke and made sure to keep quiet until Damon was finished._

_It's mother... She's gone."_

_He couldn't stop the question that slipped from his lips._

_"Where?"_

_Damon had held him impossibly tighter and buried his face in his hair._

_"To a better place."_

_Neither of them said anything else, just sitting and holding each other in the dark. They were small and innocent and vulnerable, but they had each other._

_When a maid found them in the morning Damon was sleeping deeply, looking peaceful with his brother in his arms. He begged the maid not to wake Damon and she complied, telling him to follow her as she picked up Damon and took him to his room._

_When Damon woke, his brother's hand was the first one he'd searched for._

_"Damon!" he screamed again, as loud as he could. "Damon..."_

_He was blindsided when Damon tackled him. He was thrown into the air and spun around, the wind blowing through his hair. Then was giggling madly, all his fears melting away._

_When he was pulled down again he found himself in Damon's arms. How does Damon do that? He's only a bit older than me..._

_"Why so sad, Stef?"_

_He wiped his face with his sleeve, trying to hide his tears. But Damon knew, Damon always knew._

_"... I couldn't find you."_

_Damon was looking down now, as if ashamed He didn't miss the hurt on his brother's face. Or was it regret? Why was Damon always so sad?_

_"You found me now," Damon replied, lifting his brothers chin. He smiled, but his eyes didn't sparkle like they usually did. He loved it when Damon's eyes sparkled._

_Damon spoke again, more serious than before, his eyes downcast._

_He realized that his cheeks might still be wet. Is that why Damon is sad?_

_"Forgive me?"_

_He didn't hesitate, nodding madly and giggling when Damon smiled, properly this time. He wrapped his arms around Damon's neck and hugged him tightly, feeling his brother hug him back._

_Then Damon started tickling him and he squealed madly. This was his brother, his world, his Damon. The one who loved him unconditionally._

_"Come on Stef, I've got a surprise for you," Damon whispered, as if telling him a secret. He put him down and grabbed his hand, squeezing tightly. He squeezed back and Damon smiled again._

_And together, they ran inside._

~.~

The only thing that Stefan was aware of, was his brothers' limp body, resting in his arms. The blood, both dry and partly dry, from Damon's back soiled his clothes, leaving them a dark red. He felt the wetness of his own cheeks but did nothing to wipe them dry. Damon's head was resting against his shoulder, his mangled back against his arm. The heavy weight was so unfamiliar to him, and yet it felt right.

The only thing that Stefan felt, aside for the physical things, was a overwhelming need to protect his brother. To hold him and tell him that he was okay. That everything was okay. This was accompanied with a deep sorrow. It was resting at the surface of his emotions, breaking through whenever he remembered what had happened or thought of better times.

Damon was his to protect and care for.

Damon was all that mattered.

Stefan was in the same position as he had been earlier, cradling Damon to his chest. His cheek was against his brothers forehead, his eyes closed tightly. He wasn't going anywhere for a long time. Or at least, he didn't think so.

The sound of wood hitting the ground and rolling was like thunder in his ears.

When he opened his eyes, the first face his saw was Klaus's shocked one. The original's mouth hung slightly agape, his eyes wide. He stood, unmoving, staring at Stefan.

No, not at Stefan.

Damon

When Stefan looked down, Damon's eyes met his own. They weren't the bright blue that he remembered, but it didn't matter. He looked awful, but that didn't matter either. Because the stake was on the ground beside them and Damon's chest was unmarked.

...well, there wasn't a pice of wood impaling his heart and that was good enough for Stefan.

"Stef...?" Damon croaked, his voice barely audible. He was completely still, his face clammy and pale. Stefan shushed him softy, trying not to move him and jostle his injuries.

"I'm here."

"...s-sorry... couldn't... I..."

"Hush..." Stefan whispered, cutting of his strangled gasps. "You did it, Damon. Everything's okay now. We're okay."

Damon didn't reply, letting his eyes flutter closed as Stefan ran gentle fingers through his dark hair, the stench of blood still heavy in the musty cellar. He was happy to ignore it for now, putting all of his trust in Stefan.

And Stefan was perfectly happy sitting there, holding his brother and stroking his hair. Damon was quiet in his arms, his shallow, irregular breathing the only sound he omitted. They could've sat their for hours, both enjoying each others' company as well as the relief that came from almost a week without freedom.

Damon was the one to break the silence, his voice barely audible, his words broken and harsh.

"S-stef...h-home...w-w-want to...go h-home..."

Stefan leaned down, pressing his lips against his brothers forehead.

"Let's go home."

Stefan held Damon as he drifted away.

Klaus didn't stop him as he slowly stood, his brother in his arms. Katherine didn't say a word. He didn't so much as glance at either of them, his eyes fixed on Damon. He left the cellar and walked through the forest, all the way to the Lockwood's property. He kept going even then, following the road at a normal pace until he reached the boarding house. He kicked open the door, not bothering to close it afterwards, and went straight to his own room, avoiding Damon's and the bad experiences that came with it. He placed Damon on the bed, lying beside him, and wrapped his arms around his brother. He rested his head in Damon's hair and held him tightly, as close as possible.

He told Damon that he loved him, always and forever.

It didn't matter that they were both filthy and covered in Damon's blood, or that Damon was still dangerously ill, so much so that Stefan didn't know how to help him. He didn't know where to start. A human would surely be dead by now, the fever killing them long ago. Stefan remembered the last time he had slept with his arms around his brother, over a century in the past. He remembered what it was like to be loved, and to love someone unconditionally in return. In that second, nothing mattered except Damon. Nothing else in the world.

Because, for the first time in a long time, Stefan felt safe.

~.~

**FIN**


End file.
